The disclosed subject matter relates generally to imaging apparatus and methods, and more specifically to optical elements usable in air vehicles and munitions.
Quality imaging optical components are made from crystalline and glass materials, which are very brittle and sensitive to stress concentrations and tensile stresses. Mounting of elements made from these materials for survival under high gravitational forces such as unmanned air vehicles, rockets, and gun launches can be very challenging due to catastrophic failure modes of these brittle materials. Any existing or new stress concentration can cause a fracture initiation point and the optical element can be prone to shattering. This can happen, for example, after long-term storage and transport, when the adhesive holding optical elements in place breaks down and regular vibrations cause contact between one or more optical elements and the housing holding them in place.